The Hands of Time

By: Stephanie

You drive me crazy

I just can't sleep

I'm so excited, I'm in too deep

"Why do I keep getting this bad feeling? Oh what am I talking about? It's just excitement. I haven't seen my husband in weeks.
But I sill can't get this bad feeling out of my head. Oh my gosh, listen to your self girl. You're talking to your self again. Ah, I
think I'm starting to go crazy. I'm just going to keep paying attention to the road and sing with the radio. And I'm going to stop
talking to myself.

You've got that something, what can I do

Baby, you spin me around

The Earth is moving but I can't feel the ground.

Every time you look at me, my heart is jumping it's easy to see.

"Why can't I get this feeling out of my head? Oh, I know. Maybe talking to him will help. But should I tell him I'm coming? Nah,
I'll keep it a surprise."

"Hi baby! What's up?"

"Wow, that's cool. I guess I'll have to watch the tape later."

"Why did I call?"

"Because I missed you, and because I'm going crazy. I was talking to myself earlier."

"Ha, ha, funny. No, I'm not on drugs."

"Yes I'm sure."

"So when are you coming home?"

"Two more days? That's going to be like torture."

"Yes I know it's a part of the job."

"Yeah, well I guess I'll see you in a couple of days."

"I love you too!"

"Bye."

"Wow, I feel much better now. I guess just listening to his voice calms me down. But I'm still talking to myself. Oh well, I'm
actually starting to like this. I can say whatever I want without having anyone get mad or something at me. Oh, 98 Degrees is on,
I love this song."

Baby I know that I shouldn't be here, and this is wrong

But babe it's killing you it's killing me, but both of us got to be strong

I got somewhere else to be and...

"Oh man. That feelings starting to come back to me. I think I'll listen to some happier music. Oh, Jennifer Lopez's new song."

I'm waiting for tonight, when you will be here in my arms

I'm waiting for tonight, I've dreamed of this night for so long.

Oh, I'm waiting for tonight, waiting for tonight, waiting for tonight.

"Ha, how true is this? Hey I'm in the city. Now I just have to find the Pelican motel. I can't believe he's actually staying at a
motel. Is he starting to get cheap on me or something? Here's Main Street. I guess I just go down here for a little while. Oh, here
it is. I can't wait to see the look on his face. Let's see, room 316. Ha, room 316, I bet he got that room just to be funny. Here it
is, room 316. Oh look, the idiot left the door open a little bit. Oh well, I guess I just won't have to knock. OH MY GOD, I'M
NOT SEEING THIS!! SHANE, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?"

"Oh my god, Stephanie. It's not what it looks like."

"IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE?? YOU AND TERRI ARE HALF NAKED AND ALL OVER EAH OTHER AND
IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE?"

"Stephanie, please let me explain."

"NO SHANE!! Oh, I'm not feeling so good now, I need to get out of here. This is all just a bad dream. None of this is really
happening. I'm not seeing any of this. It's all a dream."

"Stephanie."

"It's just a dream, I'll be waking up any minute. I think I'll walk out to the car until then. Ok, I'm in the car. You can wake up
now girl. Shane, shut-up. Hey, since this is just a dream I don't have to listen to him. I'll just turn my radio up. Much better.
STOP BANGING ON THE DOOR SHANE!! Oh, my head hurts. I need to get away from here. Where are my keys? Here
they are. Man, I'm getting really dizzy. Oh well, it doesn't matter if I wreck my car, it's all just a dream. God, Shane's running
down the street after me. Can't he see that I want to be left alone? I guess I'll just have to drive faster, and I think I'll turn the
radio up some more. Yes, I finally lost him. All right, you can wake up now girl. Come on, WAKE-UP. Wait, what if this isn't a
dream? Damnit, a red light. Oh my god, this isn't a dream. It all really happened. Shane had an affair. I need to get far, far away
from here. Oh, thank god, the light turned green."

BANG!!

"Where am I? What's that light? Oh, I guess I woke up. So it was all just a dream after all. Shane, turn off the light. Shane, turn
off the light. Oh no, I didn't wake up. I'm, I'm dead and it all really happened. Oh my gosh, Owen, is that you?"

"Yep, I came to guide you into hell."

"HELL?"

Calm down, it was just a joke. You're going to heaven."

"Ok, that's a big relief. So I see you're still playing practical jokes."

"Yep, I even played a couple on God. He thought that they were so funny that they didn't care."

"So what's heaven like?"

"It's the coolest place, except for home. So are you ready?"

"Yeah, I think."

"Ok, just walk towards the light. I'll be right next to you."

**Back to Shane

"Oh no, I just heard a crash, please don't let that be Stephanie, please. I'm so stupid. What was I thinking? Why the hell was I
about to have sex with Terri? Oh no, I hear her radio. Shit, it is her car. Please be alive, please be alive. I'll never forgive myself
if something happened to you. Oh thank god, there's already paramedics over there working on her."

"Is she ok?"

"Sir, can you please stand back."

"No, she's my wife."

"Ok sir, but we still need you to stay out of the way."

The paramedics were giving CPR to Stephanie. One of the yelled, "Damnit, we lost the pulse." Shane yelled, "No, she's not
dead. Keep trying. KEEP TRYING DAMNIT!!!" "Sir, can you please step over here with me for a minute." "NO, SHE'S
NOT DEAD!!!" Shane kept repeating she's not dead to himself. He just stood there and blocked everything out. The only thing
he heard was himself and the radio.

How did I ever let you slip away?

Never knowing I'd be singing this song some day

And now I'm sinking

Sinking to rise no more

Ever since you, closed the door

If I could turn

Turn back the hands of time

Then my darling you'd still be mine

If I could turn

Turn back the hands of time

Then darling you, you'd still be mine

Funny

Funny how time goes by

And blessings are missed in the wink of an eye

Woah, why o why o why

Should one have to go on suffering

When every day I breathe

Please come back to me

If I could turn

Turn back the hands of time

Then my darling you'd still be mine

If I could turn

Turn back the hands of time

Then darling you, you'd still be mine

And you had enough love for the both of us

But I, I, I did you wrong

I admit I did

And now I'm facing the rest of my life alone

Wooahooah

If I could turn

Turn back the hands of time

Then my darling you, you would be mine

Wooah, If I could turn

Turn back the hands of time

Then darling you'd still be mine

Oh, I'd never hurt you

Never do you wrong

And never leave your side

Turn back the hands

Wooahoooah

If I could just turn back that little clock on the wall then I'd come to realize, how much, I love you

Love you

Love you

Love you

Shane was crying by now, "No, she's not dead. SHE'S NOT DEAD!!"

****

"Owen wait!"

"What?"

"I don't think I'm ready to go to heaven yet."

"Why?"

"Because I'll miss Shane too much."

"But I thought Shane hurt you."

"Yeah, he did. But I still love him. I can't imagine my life without him."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Congratulations Stephanie, you passed the test."

"Test?!? This was all a test?"

"Yes, god has different ways of testing people's love for each other, and you passed. And even though Shane did something
really stupid he passed too. Just take a look."

A t.v. appeared and showed Shane at the accident. He was crying, and even though every one had said Stephanie was dead he
wouldn't give up. Stephanie touched the screen. "Oh, my poor Shaney. Owen, when can I go back?"

"Right now."

****

"Hey Johnson, get over here, quick. I've never seen anything like this before."

"What is it?"

"I'm getting a pulse again, but she's been dead for over 5 minutes."

"That's impossible, let me see. Oh my god you're right. Hey guys, hurry up and bring that stuff over here, we've got a pulse." The
rest of the paramedics ran over and began working to stabilize Stephanie. Shane dropped down on his knees and thanked god.

****

"Ohh, my head hurts. Where am I? Shane?"

Shane was sitting in a chair next to Stephanie's bed half asleep. As soon as he heard Stephanie talking he jumped. "Stephanie.
You're awake! You don't know how worried I was about you." "Yeah I did, I've been watching you for the last half hour."
"What, you've been up for an half hour and you didn't tell me?" "Shane, are you mad at me?" "No, of course not. You're the one
that should be mad at me. This was all my fault. Do you even remember what I did? I was such an idiot. I'm suprised you
haven't thrown that flower vase or something at me yet."

Stephanie sat for a couple of minutes trying to remember what happened, until all of a sudden it hit her. The look of shock on her
face was enough to let Shane know that she remembered. "You do remember. I'll understand if you want me to leave now. Just
say it and I'm gone." "No Shane, I don't want you to leave." "What?" "I said I don't want you to leave." "Are you sure Steph?"
"Yeah, I want you to stay here." "Ok, but can I just ask one thing?" "Sure." "Why do you want me to stay? Most normal people
would have wanted me to leave." "I'm not normal." "Steph, for real, why do you want me to stay?"

"Well, I had this really weird dream. It made me realize that even though I was mad at you that I still loved you, and that as long
as we loved each other we could work anything out. And I know I love you, and I'm pretty sure you love me." "You're damn
right I love you Steph. So what happened in this dream?" "Well, it's kinda of hard to explain, but I was getting ready to go to
heaven, and the cool part was that Owen was there."...........

THE END